Bogotá: Colombia’s Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP) on Friday, November 13, sentenced five retired Army members to reparative work of up to six-and-a-half years for their involvement in the killing and disappearance of 35 civilians between 2002 and 2006.

The former military personnel were implicated in the notorious “false positives” scandal, in which civilians were killed and falsely presented as guerrillas killed in combat during Colombia’s decades-long internal armed conflict.

Ex-Soldiers Admit Responsibility for Crimes

According to the transitional justice court, the five former military personnel accepted responsibility for their crimes and provided information to investigators.

The individuals who cooperated with authorities included two majors, a captain, a sergeant and a corporal.

The crimes occurred in rural areas of Dabeiba, in the northwestern Colombian department of Antioquia, between 2002 and 2006.

Following information provided by the former soldiers, authorities recovered 77 bodies. Of these, 18 have been identified, while 17 have been returned to their families.

Reparations Include Road and Bridge Reconstruction

The tribunal outlined reparative measures that include infrastructure projects such as road and bridge reconstruction, humanitarian initiatives and continued efforts to locate people who remain missing.

The sentences are part of Colombia’s transitional justice framework, which seeks accountability for crimes committed during the internal armed conflict while providing justice and reparations to victims and their families.

Colombia’s ‘False Positives’ Scandal

The “false positives” scandal involved members of the Colombian military killing civilians and presenting them as combatants killed during military operations, often to inflate operational success figures.

According to Colombia’s Truth Commission, approximately 8,208 extrajudicial killings were carried out by military personnel between 1978 and 2016.

Nearly 4,000 members of the security forces across different ranks, including 17 generals, have participated in JEP investigations into false-positive killings and forced disappearances.

JEP Framework Allows Reparations or Long Prison Sentences

Established in 2016 as part of Colombia’s peace and transitional justice process, the Special Jurisdiction for Peace investigates crimes committed during the internal armed conflict.

Under its framework, former guerrilla leaders, military personnel and civilians who fully acknowledge their responsibility, disclose the truth and cooperate with investigators may receive reparative sentences of up to eight years.

Those who fail to fully cooperate or conceal information can face prison sentences of up to 20 years.

Meanwhile, dozens of military personnel have already been arrested and convicted through Colombia’s ordinary justice system for false-positive killings.

Thousands of Victims Still Await Justice

Colombia’s internal armed conflict claimed more than 450,000 lives and displaced millions of people.

Many victims of forced disappearances remain missing, while their families continue to wait for the recovery and identification of their remains.

The JEP is continuing investigations into more than 250,000 crimes connected to the country's internal armed conflict, as Colombia pursues accountability and justice for victims of decades of violence.